


To the Edge of All We've Ever Known

by allhailgrilledcheesus



Category: Borderlands, Tales from the Boderlands
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Soulmate AU, blame erinchu for it being longer, this was gonna be short
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 21:04:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7547221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allhailgrilledcheesus/pseuds/allhailgrilledcheesus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A soulmate AU where when you are getting close to meeting your soulmate, you feel a feeling in your left ring finger. The same feeling you get when you take a ring off. </p><p>Rhys has had this feeling for weeks now and his friends are just pissed off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Well, I'm not sure what this is gonna be

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of a real experience. Well, I've had this feeling in my left ring finger for a while now and I decided to mke an AU out of it. 
> 
> This will be updated sporadically as it will be used as my writers block thing as it's kinda crack in a weird way? Idk... 
> 
> Title of the fic and chapter title's from the song Kiss me slowly - Parachute
> 
> Much love as always to Erin (erinchu) and Chloe (loki-dokey)! Now, with added love to the rhack discord chat, love you guys!

Vaughn sighed once again. Rhys was more restless than usual and it was driving the accountant _insane_. The cybernetic man’s leg was currently bouncing up and down and he fiddled with his left hand with his right one. Vaughn knew Rhys was already at least six cups of coffee into his day and it was barely noon. 

“Can you, like, not sigh at me every ten seconds, bro?” Rhys snapped, turning to face his best friend. His eyes were darting around the cafeteria, looking out for any sign that he could. 

“But bro, this is getting annoying.” Vaughn fought with every fibre of his being to not roll his eyes in that moment. He knew that this was important to Rhys, but the guy was just fucking _annoying_ at this point. 

Rhys huffed, “This is gonna be my day, Vaughn. Just let me have it, OK?” Rhys pouted and continued to scan the Hub of Heroism. Vaughn gave into his earlier urges and rolled his eyes. Yvette mercifully came and sat down at their table, returning the change from the lunch Vaughn had technically bought her.

Yvette nodded her head towards Rhys, “He still fretting?” She took a bite of the sub she had bought, chewing it with a thoughtful look. 

“Yeah… I’ve tried to calm him down but the _idiot_ won’t listen to me.” Rhys turned around and glared daggers at the pair, causing them to fall about laughing. Rhys just huffed and turned around again, rubbing his ring finger over and over again, trying to get rid of the feeling there. 

It had been weeks since the feeling started, just a low tingling in his ring finger. But now, it was a fully blossoming feeling of absence. He was going to meet his soulmate, and it was going to happen soon. Rhys practically bounded into Vaughn when he realised that it was going to happen. Vaughn was mildly jealous, Rhys could tell having known the man for years, but Vaughn was happy for him all the same. His best friend was going to meet the one person to bring him happiness, so he couldn’t really begrudge him being excited. This was, however, several weeks ago and Vaughn was just _tired_. 

Rhys looked at the time using his ECHO eye and saw that his lunch break was almost over. He had a big seminar to go to on the other side of Helios soon and he wasn’t looking forward to it. He had hoped given how strong the sensation was that he would have met his soulmate by now. However, Rhys had to go and listen to someone prattle on about deadlines and the new security software that his department was insistent on implementing even though what they already had was good enough. It just meant that Rhys and the small team of programmers that he oversaw would have to learn a whole new set of code to ensure the safety of the rest of the department. 

On Rhys’s walk over to the seminar room, he started thinking. He wondered who the person was that was his soulmate. Would they be nice? Would their personalities clash? Would they approve of Rhys’s sock collection? 

Rhys knew all the stories well. Stories passed down from generation to generation telling of great loves that started with the same feeling that he was having. The feeling of something missing from his left hand. It felt floaty yet weighted at the same time. Rhys wondered what it would actually feel like to have a ring on his finger. How it would feel to know that someone loved him deeply enough to want to wear a symbol of their love at all times. Rhys sighed, losing a tiny bit of hope that this would happen today. 

Rhys had dreamed of the day that he would meet his soulmate. He had often asked his parents to retell the story of their meeting. Rhys’s mother was just in line for a coffee at a new coffee shop that had opened near her apartment. Rhys’s father just so happened to work there and had managed to get her order mixed up with someone of the same name. Their eyes met, and the rest was history. Rhys hoped that his was as sweet as theirs. 

By the time Rhys had finished his ruminating he had reached the seminar room. The majority of people were already sat down, meaning that the only seats available were at the front. Many people had ECHO devices resting precariously on their laps, seeing as there were no tables to rest them on. Rhys sat down two rows back from the front and just started up his ECHO eye, crossing his legs and arms and trying to be as comfortable as possible in the shitty chairs provided. People shot him dirty looks at his nonchalant attitude but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to be here, he had soulmate hunting to do. 

The seminar started up with no real issue. Some of the higher ups in the department droning on about ‘efficiency’ and ‘making the workplace an easier place for all’. Rhys ignored most of it, leaving his ECHO eye to record what was happening whilst he browsed the ECHO net for something more interesting than this seminar. Rhys even thought about looking up a video to watch paint dry to try and make himself more invested in the seminar. Sadly, this tactic did not work as watching paint dry really was more interesting than listening to anything his bosses had to say. 

Rhys nearly jumped out of his seat as someone on stage clapped their hands. Not the kind of clap that warranted everyone else to start politely clapping together, but a clap that demanded everyone in the room’s attention. Rhys closed the video down and looked up onto the stage. 

_Holy shit_. 

Handsome fucking Jack was standing behind the podium Rhys’s superior was at moments before. Jack was standing there, gripping the podium like his life depended on it. The man’s eyes were wild, almost predatory, and his usually perfectly styled hair falling onto his forehead. 

“Listen up, _kiddos_ ,” Jack’s voice carried through the hall without the use of a microphone, the stress in his voice obvious. “I have been all around this station looking for something, no, someone for the past three weeks. These seminars I’ve been holding in order to find this someone because I’m pissed _off_.” 

Rhys shrank into himself. A pissed off Jack normally meant a lot of people were gonna be airlocked. Rhys was too young to die. He still had the unresolved issue of his soulmate to find out. Absentmindedly, Rhys started to play with his ring finger; an anxious tick he had picked up since the sensation started. 

“I’m just gonna make this real simple, eh? Everyone who’s married out _NOW_!” Around half the room scrambled from their seats, nearly crushing each other in the process. Jack rubbed his hands together and he started pacing the stage slowly. Rhys felt his heart rate start to rise, adrenaline filling his veins. Jack was just staring into the crowd. 

Rhys just sat there, mouth agape and eyes wide.This was officially the most ridiculous day of his life. The CEO of the company was holding these seminars to just stare at people? Rhys knew that the man was known for some eccentricities but this was really taking the biscuit. 

“Oi, cybernetics, eyes up.” Rhys knew that this was about him. No one else in the department had the same enhancements that he did. Rhys swallowed, mustering up every nerve that he had and looked directly at the CEO. 

Time had stopped. Rhys felt his stomach dissolve into dancing butterflies. It was almost as if he was seeing colour properly for the first time. The final puzzle piece was slotting into place and Rhys felt _whole_. 

“EVERYBODY OUT!” Jack screamed, chest heaving after breathing as if he had just finished a 100m sprint. “Except you, cupcake.” Jack sat down on his haunches, pointing at Rhys. 

_Shit_ , Rhys thought, _this could only happen to me, couldn’t it?_


	2. Fourteenth Floor, Pale Blue Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is stressing out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack's perspective now! 
> 
> Thanks again to Erin (erinchu) and Chloe (loki-dokey) and the group chat bc they fuel my bad writing habits. I love all of you <3

Jack awoke with a start to the sound of his alarm. When he had changed the tune to _Eye of the Tiger_ he was convinced it was going to wake him up feeling prepped and ready for the day. However, the song now just made him cranky and ready to strangle someone. 

Jack rolled over and clapped his hands to stop the music from blaring throughout his apartment. All the man could do was moan and practically drag himself from bed. He had a really weird dream last night. He couldn’t really remember the details, but just a really amazing feeling of warmth and being _wanted_. The CEO shook his head to try and clear the thoughts from it and wandered into his kitchen. 

Jack often wondered why he had some a big apartment. His daughter didn’t live with him any more, so having such a huge place was not needed. Jack mulled this over as he started to pour himself a cup of coffee. By the time it was as tooth-rottingly sweet and he wanted it to be, the man had decided that liked having such a large apartment. It was an assertion of his power. Jack leaned against the counter, nodding to himself as he came to his conclusion. 

He pushed off the counter and continued to drink his coffee (even though it barely had any coffee left) as he walked back towards his bedroom to use the en suite. The apartment had way too many bathrooms for just a single man to ever need, but the choice was always nice. 

Jack placed his now finished coffee and placed the empty mug on the dresser in his room. The bed was messy but the cleaning crew would be in soon. His apartment was cleaned daily by staff who were heavily background checked. He tried using loader bots but the end result wasn’t the best. He had lost a _very_ expensive couch that day. 

Upon entering the bathroom, Jack ran his hand over his face. The blue scar that ran across his features stung like always and made him feel even worse than he did before. Jack noticed that his facial hair was getting too long for it to not irritate him as it brushed against his mask. He debated whether or not to just send Tim in today, but he realised that he actually had something important to do. Maliwan were poking their noses into a new AI technology that he was asking R&D to develop. Jack was apparently the only competent person on the space station so he was the unlucky sod who had to deal with it. 

After showering Jack pulled on his many layers and took the express elevator to his office. He had messaged his PA to get him something for breakfast and to get his mask ready. His PA had never seen him without his mask on. They always left the mask and breakfast on his desk and took their place outside his office, acting as a gatekeeper between the masses and the king. 

Jack clipped his mask into place and somehow he felt better. The mask was both something literal and metaphorical. It hid the scar that gave him the power he had now. It hid the biggest secret he had ever had to hold. Maybe not the _biggest_ , but definitely the most important. No one could ever see him as weak. No one could take his power away from him. He worked too hard for this to see it all go to waste now. 

Jack sighed as he sat down at his desk. He rolled his chair forwards and looked at what his PA had gotten him for breakfast. Thankfully, it wasn’t too terrible. This PA was still relatively fresh and was actually willing to listen. Jack mulled this over as he took a bite out of the cream cheese bagel he had for his breakfast. 

Suddenly, Jack looked up. _Shit_. He had a strange feeling. _Fuck_. The dream he had last night made sense now. _Fucking shit_. Jack pressed the button on his desk phone to get his PA on the phone. _Shitting fuck_. “I need you to work out a way for me to see the population of this space station in the fastest way possible.” _Fucking shit_. 

Jack felt like he was missing a ring. 

This could not be happening. A person was only supposed to experience this _once_ in their lives. Jack had already had this happen to him. Or had he? Had he been projecting this feeling onto himself when he met his first wife? Jack was freaking _out_. He needed this resolved ASAP. Jack buried his head in his hands, hoping that the feeling would go away if he willed it. 

“Handsome Jack, sir?” 

Jack snapped his head up, ready to kill whoever wanted to talk to him right now. His features softened slightly when he realised it was just his PA. 

“What?”

“I’ve worked out a way for you to see everyone, if you’re interested.” 

“Of course I’m frickin’ interested! I asked you to find something so you _better_ have something good for me.” 

Jack’s PA handed him an ECHO device with a schedule on it. Jack read it over and a smile started to spread across his features. This PA was gonna stay for a little while longer. 

“So, I decided to schedule the seminars from the top of the company down. Hyperion can’t really afford to have everyone working in the lower levels out of work at the same time so this seemed like the best solution.” 

Jack mulled this over, damn this kid was smart. “What about this?” Jack pointed to a meeting with Maliwan scheduled for next week. 

“They demanded to see you, sir.” 

“Well, tell them that I got more important things to do than meet with their whiny asses.” Jack put his feet up on his desk, eyes not moving from the ECHO device in front of him. 

“If that’s what you think is best, sir, then I’ll tell them straight away.” His PA nodded and exited the office. 

Jack was looking at the schedule and ran his hand over his face. The next couple of weeks, were going to be arduous to say the least.

* * *

The CEO was about to explode. Two weeks of these seminars and _nothing_. There were only three of these things left and Jack was growing impatient. His normal suave demeanor was replaced by hairs out of place and smelling slightly _off_. Jack was constantly playing with his ring finger, annoyed by the feeling now. He needed to meet this person and he needed to meet them _fast_. His next resort after Helios was Pandora and he refused to believe that his… that his _soulmate_ was on that hell-hole of a planet. 

Jack was in his own private elevator making his way down Helios. It had been years since he had been this low in the space station. He had worked his way to the _literal_ top and he didn’t ever want to come back down. 

When Jack arrived at the seminar he was scheduled for today and caught a look of himself in one of the windows. He looked a _mess_. His hair was scruffy and out of place, he was wearing his mask but he swore he could see bags under his eyes. His shirt was crumpled beyond belief and his normally immaculate sneakers were scuffed and were nowhere near to white any more. He felt ridiculous. He was letting this get out of hand but Jack was the kind of man to never leave a task unfinished. 

The boss of this department (the programming department he believed) was still droning on about something ridiculous and Jack was getting _bored_. Time for him to have a little fun. 

Jack strode onto the stage and clasped his hands together. All eyes were on him and he felt _amazing_. There was nothing like the rush of being on a stage whilst everyone was looking at you. Well, maybe seeing the life go from someone’s eyes, but this was a close second. 

“Listen up, _kiddos_ ,I have been all around this station looking for something, no, someone for the past three weeks. These seminars I’ve been holding in order to find this someone because I’m pissed _off_.” Jack could see the terror in his subordinates’ eyes. Jack relished this power. 

“I’m just gonna make this real simple, eh? Everyone who’s married out _NOW_!” Jack watched as people were practically falling over themselves to get out of the room. Jack smirked slightly and relinquished his grip on the podium. He flexed his fingers; he hadn’t realised how tight he was holding the thing. 

_Right_ , Jack thought to himself, _time to get this over with_. Jack was slowly losing hope that he was going to find anyone. He started from one end of the stage and started making eye contact with everyone in the room. The process was getting tedious at this point. 

He was halfway across the stage and he noticed someone wasn’t looking at him. This guy had a cybernetic right arm painted Hyperion yellow. “Oi, cybernetics, eyes up.” The young man bought his eyes to meet Jack’s and time stood still. 

Jack felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. He suddenly felt like he was _home_. He felt as if his whole life had been leading up to this moment and that finally something was going right for him. No more betrayal, no more lies, just him and his _soulmate_.  
When Jack had recovered his breath he screamed, “EVERYBODY OUT!” and sat down on his haunches as everyone scrambled to be free from the room. “Except you, cupcake.” Jack pointed at the cybernetic man, realising that he had just had a similar feeling to him. Jack smiled, more genuinely than he had in years. Finally, he’d found them. 

Now, who the _fuck_ was this guy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmu on tumblr: therhackoning
> 
> this au is consuming me

**Author's Note:**

> hmu on tumblr: therhackoning


End file.
